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Yellow-vented Bulbul eats Thalia geniculata flower

on 23rd January 2014

The aquatic plant Water Canna (Thalia geniculata) is a common ornamental in water gardens. The plant is a favourite with sunbirds that visit for the flower nectar LINK.

An earlier post documented a juvenile Yellow Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier) being fed flowers of this plant LINK.

This image by Chia Yeong Kwong shows another adult Yellow-vented Bulbul eating a flower because of the nectar it contains.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

One Response

  1. To attract birds to a water garden, Thallia dealbata is a better choice than genticulata. This is a slightly larger plant, and its flowers grow on much straighter stalks, not in the obviously zig-zag pattern that you can see in the photo accompanying this article. I have had ponds and water gardens in all my homes, and am also a volunteer who assists in the upkeep of water bodies in a public institution. While Thallia genticulata will attract birds, the attraction rate is far higher when dealbata is planted.

    A caution though, is that Thallia plants can be untidy, with many unsightly dead leaves. They should be planted only in areas where they can be easily accessed for pruning.

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